Uploaded March 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Mathematical modeling has come to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic, but how do these models work? Join Dr. Chris Bauch, Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Waterloo, as he sketches the mathematics behind "flattening the curve" and herd immunity. Learn why flattening the curve reveals an interplay between disease spread and population behavior and how members of the population can be viewed as engaging in a strategic interaction with one another — a "game" — that determines the trajectory of the epidemic. Take part in an audience participatory example, illustrating how these interactions can be analyzed mathematically using game theory — and how math really can help us emerge victorious. Special introduction by Julie Gerberding, former director of the CDC and current Executive Vice President and Chief Patient Officer at Merck.
Math Encounters is a public presentation series celebrating the spectacular world of mathematics, presented by the Simons Foundation and the National Museum of Mathematics.
For further information, call the National Museum of Mathematics at
212-542-0566 or e-mail mathencounters@momath.org.
Mathematical modeling has come to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic, but how do these models work? Join Dr. Chris Bauch, Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Waterloo, as he sketches the mathematics behind "flattening the curve" and herd immunity. Learn why flattening the curve reveals an interplay between disease spread and population behavior and how members of the population can be viewed as engaging in a strategic interaction with one another — a "game" — that determines the trajectory of the epidemic. Take part in an audience participatory example, illustrating how these interactions can be analyzed mathematically using game theory — and how math really can help us emerge victorious. Special introduction by Julie Gerberding, former director of the CDC and current Executive Vice President and Chief Patient Officer at Merck.
Math Encounters is a public presentation series celebrating the spectacular world of mathematics, presented by the Simons Foundation and the National Museum of Mathematics.
For further information, call the National Museum of Mathematics at
212-542-0566 or e-mail mathencounters@momath.org.
